Skip to main content

SUNSHINE ON PICARDY

Submitted by Editor on

The state of Edinburgh’s public realm in general and Picardy Place in particular have come in for a lot of criticism lately.

As an experiment, we wondered whether a mix of sunshine, poetic perspective and positive thinking might change the way we feel about Broughton's newly created Fantasy Island.

See what you think.

MAP

 

Bermudas

By Andrew Marvell

 

Where the remote Bermudas ride 

In th’ ocean’s bosom unespy’d, 

From a small boat, that row’d along, 

The list’ning winds receiv’d this song.

MAN AND DOG

What should we do but sing his praise 

That led us through the wat’ry maze 

Unto an isle so long unknown, 

And yet far kinder than our own?

monster

Where he the huge sea-monsters wracks, 

That lift the deep upon their backs, 

He lands us on a grassy stage, 

Safe from the storm’s and prelates’ rage. 

He gave us this eternal spring 

Which here enamels everything, 

And sends the fowls to us in care, 

On daily visits through the air. 

orange

He hangs in shades the orange bright, 

Like golden lamps in a green night; 

And does in the pomegranates close 

Jewels more rich than Ormus shows. 

melons

He makes the figs our mouths to meet 

And throws the melons at our feet, 

But apples plants of such a price, 

No tree could ever bear them twice.

POLE

With cedars, chosen by his hand, 

From Lebanon, he stores the land, 

And makes the hollow seas that roar 

Proclaim the ambergris on shore. 

TEMPLE

He cast (of which we rather boast) 

The Gospel’s pearl upon our coast, 

And in these rocks for us did frame 

A temple, where to sound his name. 

VAULT

Oh let our voice his praise exalt, 

Till it arrive at heaven’s vault; 

Which thence (perhaps) rebounding, may 

Echo beyond the Mexic Bay.

CYCLIST

Thus sung they in the English boat 

An holy and a cheerful note, 

And all the way, to guide their chime, 

With falling oars they kept the time.

Picardy Place

-------- 

TWEET
TWEET
TWEETS
TWEET
TWEET
tweet
tweets
tweet
tweet
tweet
tweet

 

Location